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Friday, June 6, 2014

Traction and Progress in HaloLight TM at Conexpo

Winner of the inaugural Seattle Angel Conference, ILLUMAGEAR continues to show great traction and progress. The company launched it’s first product, The Halo Light™, only a couple of months ago, but in that time, interest and feedback has been very positive and demand has been high. Product has already been shipped to customers around the world. The company attended CONEXPO in Las Vegas in March, the construction industry’s equivalent to CES, and generated over 1600 leads, more than 3x their stretch goal. The company has now generated over 3000 leads and is rapidly building a sales force (they’re hiring!) and locking up distributors in order to drive those leads through the sales funnel.

Series A Round Nearing Completion

The Halo Light is a patented 360º light system worn on any hard hat that produces a halo of light around the wearer, enabling him or her to see and be seen in all directions at all times, especially in low light conditions. ILLUMAGEAR is already working on new products. Longer-term it imagines combining hardware and software to redefine personal active safety on job sites around the world.
ILLUMAGEAR is nearly closed on its Series A round of financing.

To learn more about ILLUMAGEAR, the company and its products, and what it is up to lately, you can visit their website at www.illumagear.com or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. You can contact ILLUMAGEAR at info@illumagear.com.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Potential to Eliminate 60% of Angels

The SEC is evaluating changes to the definition of an Accredited Investor. If their suggested changes go thru, it could eliminate 60% of those who currently qualify, potentially halving the size of our group and the U.S. angel community.

According to both SEC and General Accounting Office estimates, adjusting
the net worth test for inflation, as advocated by some organizations as
a form of “investor protection,” would eliminate about 60 percent of
current accredited investors. The two agencies estimate that
inflation-based adjustments would increase the net worth standard to
about $2.5 million and annual income to $450,000.

Suggested Text for comments:(modify as you will)

(5) In the Comments box, please cut & paste the following text (feel free to edit if you wish):

As a member of the Angel Capital Association (ACA) and the Alliance of Angels(Seattle Angel Conference) I urge the Commission to protect angel funding to ensure the health of the startup economy we support, by retaining the existing financial thresholds in the current accredited investor definition. These thresholds -- $1 million in net worth or $200,000 in income -- have worked well for decades, creating a vital accredited angel investor sector that is the primary source of funds for early-stage companies that drive the innovation economy and job-creation nationwide, and with very little fraud.

If financial limits were sharply increased, angel investment in early-stage companies would suffer. An increase in the net worth threshold to $2.5 million, advocated by some, could cut upwards of 60 percent of current accredited investors out of the market. The startup ecosystem would be devastated by such a dramatic shrinkage of this vital investor pool, especially in regions where venture capital is not prevalent. A contraction in angel investing could stall local economic development, university technology initiatives, and stem innovation and job growth. At the same time, millions of Americans would instantly lose the opportunity to participate in the innovation economy that is largely the purview of companies raising funds privately from accredited investors.

It is important to consider investor protection, the public interest and our current economy. However, the SEC should note that, as more accredited individuals have engaged in angel investing, direct investment in startups has remained largely free of fraud. This is a result of concerted due diligence, negotiated terms, and ongoing entrepreneur support and mentoring that are the hallmark of angel investing.

Given the importance of the innovation economy to the nation, the need for capital formation in the early-stage sector, and the need to balance access to investment opportunity with investor protection, I urge the Commission to adopt the following approach to the accredited investor definition:

i Maintain the current financial thresholds of $200,000 income per individual; $300,000 for joint filers, or $1 million net worth not including primary residence for individuals to qualify as accredited investors.

ii Incorporate the concept of “sophistication” for individuals who do not meet the above thresholds to prudently expand the accredited investor pool, using a detailed questionnaire to identify qualitative information about knowledge and experience with this type of investment.

Such an approach will continue to provide investor protection while also recognizing the growing role and importance of accredited investor investment in innovation and growth that are essential to serve the public interest and sustain our nation’s economy.

Thank you for your consideration.

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